Starting Sunday, Sports Spectrum will have coverage all week from the Super Bowl. We’ve sent our staff writer, Stephen Copeland, to Indianapolis to cover the week’s festivities and events. Steve will be blogging daily about his experiences with exclusive interviews, videos and more. You can also follow Steve on Twitter @Steve_Copeland for live updates.
Benjamin Watson is back in The Big Easy.
The veteran tight end signed a one-year contract with the New Orleans Saints, according to ESPN.
Round #TwoDat! pic.twitter.com/RQHVykGkie
— Benjamin Watson (@BenjaminSWatson) March 28, 2018
Watson, 37, played for New Orleans from 2013-15. During the three seasons, he caught 113 passes for 1,187 yards and 10 touchdowns. In his final season with the Saints in 2015, he had a career-best 74 receptions for 825 yards and six touchdowns.
RELATED: How Christianity influences Benjamin Watson’s worldview
One of the most respected players in the league, Watson was this year’s recipient of the Bart Starr Award, awarded to the player who best exemplifies outstanding character and leadership in the home, on the field and in the community.
Awarded during the Super Bowl Breakfast, sponsored by Athletes In Action, Watson ended the program by presenting the Gospel to the estimated 1,700 people who attended the event.
“The gift of God is eternal life,” Watson said. “Not through your works. Not through your efforts, not through your kindness, not through your justice, not through your righteousness, but through Jesus Christ, our Lord. You see Jesus came, not to just be a teacher, not to give us great quotes. He came because he was fully God and fully man. Only someone who is sinless can pay the price for sin.
“I love football. I do. I’ve loved it my whole life, since I was a kid. But football is going to fade away. But only our relationship with Him will last eternally.”
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With the NBA playoffs less than a month away, Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry has the theme song ready for his team’s title defense.
Curry teamed up with Christian hip-hop artists Bizzle and K. Allico to create “Winning,” according to Instagram posts by Rizen Shine Media.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BgXLNdDHdeC/?taken-by=rizenshinemedia
https://www.instagram.com/p/BgY-GJnnLWs/?taken-by=rizenshinemedia
Curry is an outspoken Christian who has listened to Christian hip-hop since he was in high school. At Charlotte Christian School, he would listen to Da’ T.R.U.T.H’s “This is for you” before he would lead his teammates to the court for pregame warmups.
“It wasn’t even a big deal,” Curry said to the Wade-O Radio Show. “It wasn’t like we were doing it to be counter culture.”
As his platform grew with NBA stardom, he continued to support Christian artists, inviting Lecrae to perform at his sneaker release party in 2015.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BgRAEJwlzri/?taken-by=lecrae
Listening to these hip-hop artists helps Curry not only perform at a high level on the court, but it also reminds him who he is living for off the court as well.
“When I step on the floor, people should know who I represent and who I believe in,” Curry said. “I’ve been blessed with talent to play sports at a high level. Each time, it’s in His name I go out there to perform and compete and use His gifts in the right way. So it’s good for me to keep that present in my mind, what my true purpose is. And these great artists I get to listen to help me get in that zone where I can focus on the task at hand as well as keep what really matters to me ever present in my heart.”
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Free Agent quarterback Kirk Cousins plans to sign a three-year, $84 million deal with the Minnesota Vikings, according to ESPN. His contract is reportedly fully guaranteed.
Kirk Cousins plans to sign a three-year, fully-guaranteed contract from the Minnesota Vikings on Thursday, sources tell ESPN.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 13, 2018
One of the most sought-after free agent quarterbacks, Cousins threw for 4,093 yards and 27 touchdowns last season with the Washington Redskins. He’ll take over the reigns of a Vikings team that was 13-3 last season and appeared in the NFC Championship Game.
Cousins, 29, was selected in the fourth round by Washington in the 2012 NFL Draft. Last season he turned down a $53 million contract in guaranteed money to stay with the team. His cited his faith as the reason why he didn’t put ink to paper.
“First of all, what rarely ever gets reported is that ultimately this decision is not about anything more importantly than my faith,” Cousins told 106.7 The Fan in Washington D.C. “My faith is ultimately driving this decision. Do I feel like the Lord is leading me to make this decision or that decision and where does he give me peace?”
RELATED STORY: Redskins QB Kirk Cousins says faith drove decision to turn down $53 million deal
The response from Cousins shouldn’t come as a surprise. He grew up the son of a pastor and is outspoken about his faith in Jesus Christ. Last season he wore cleats supporting the International Justice Mission and he has a Bible verse taped to the inside of his locker.
“It’s Matthew 6, verses 19 through 34. It talks about where your heart should be and what you should value in this world,” Cousins explains. “It’s a good verse, a good reminder to leave it all in God’s hands and trust the Lord and He hasn’t failed me yet.”
“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” — Matthew 6:33
You can read the entire chapter from Matthew 6 that Kirk Cousins is referring to here.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQsx8lrPms4
Super Bowl Sunday has become one of the biggest days of the year on the sporting calendar. Millions of people around the world tune in for a game of football.
That first Sunday in February is also one of the biggest outreach opportunities for the body of Christ. Through Football Sunday, a movement is growing to bring glory to the Name above all Names on football’s biggest day.
What is Football Sunday? It’s a free resource for churches to provide their people with an inside look at faith in the NFL in a way that’s relatable to all. Included are an in-church sermon-replacement video starring prominent NFL players, a 32-page special-edition Sports Spectrum magazine, and other tools to reach communities.
https://twitter.com/Sports_Spectrum/status/951651898205097984
A Sports Spectrum production, the Football Sunday video features interviews our team shot during the season with numerous players around the league. Then, as the Eagles and Patriots have advanced to play on Super Sunday, our team hits the road again to include Philadelphia and New England players who will compete in football’s biggest game.
This year’s theme is simple: “Seek. Surrender. Serve.” You’ll hear NFL players — including Carson Wentz, Matt Forte, Demario Davis, Josh McCown and Malcolm Jenkins — talk about what it means to seek Christ always, surrender to Him daily, and serve the needs of others. The 28-minute video is hosted by CBS Sports’ James Brown.
RELATED: More on Carson Wentz | More on Matt Forte
“Seeking God requires intentionality, not just routinely listening so a sermon on Sunday or going to chapel before a game,” Forte said about seeking.
“Jesus is calling you into a life that may be different from what you thought might satisfy you, but ultimately it will bring you peace,” McCown said about surrendering.
“There’s no way you can live a Christlike life and not serve in some capacity. When you look at Jesus’ life in the Bible, that’s all His life was: service,” Jenkins said about serving.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHsQCh2Fw2A
In addition to the main video, we also produced the first-ever Football Sunday edition of Sports Spectrum Magazine. The issue looks at the history of Football Sunday and gives a sneak-peek into this year’s video, but also highlights this year’s host city, Minneapolis, with a feature on Vikings receiver Adam Thielen, one of Minnesota’s greatest athletes; a flashback to the last time the city held the Super Bowl; and a prayer for the Twin Cities. Readers will also find Super Bowl stats and numbers, the Patriots’ Matthew Slater talking about New England’s incredible title from last year, a look into how postgame prayer at the 50-yard line began, and daily devotionals from NFL players.
Churches and ministries in Minnesota are passing out 200,000 copies of this magazine, along with 300,000 Sports Spectrum/Football Sunday flyers. These groups are also hosting 33 days of prayer leading up to Super Bowl Sunday.
Football Sunday began in 2015 with one video, but since has reached more than 3 million people in over 5,000 churches. With additional tools each year, the movement is growing.
For more info on how your church can take part in Football Sunday, visit FootballSunday.com.
Related links:
– Download the Football Sunday edition of Sports Spectrum Magazine
– Minneapolis hosting 33 days of prayer in preparation for Super Bowl
– Eagles QB Carson Wentz after suffering knee injury: ‘God has a perfect plan’
– Increase story: Matt Forte on faith in action
